Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - A traffic stop for expired registration led to a pursuit across Los Angeles County Saturday. The three unidentified suspects were arrested after a pursuing Azusa officer disabled the white Volvo with the Pursuit Intervention Technique in the area of Grand Avenue and Hillside Drive in West Covina just after 6 p.m. An officer initiated a traffic stop on the driver of the white sedan near Mauna Loa Avenue and Barranca Avenue just before 4:30 p.m. August 31. The driver refused to stop, according to Azusa Police Lt. Nick Covarrubias. The pursuit went as far west as East Los Angeles onto surface streets through Commerce and Montebello before heading west on the 60 freeway.
The driver fled onto surface streets again through Industry, Hacienda Heights, La Puente, Pomona and onto the 10 freeway before the Volvo was disabled in West Covina. Covarrubias did not yet know why the driver fled, but the driver will likely face felony evading charges. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - Three spike strips and two PIT maneuvers later, an accused DUI driver was taken into custody after kindly pulling into an In N Out parking lot Sunday. Upland Police attempted to stop the driver, 45-year-old Michelle Starkey, for a registration violation near Foothill Boulevard and Central Avenue around 10:26 a.m., according to Sgt. Bill Chani of the Upland Police Department. Starkey refused to stop and casually drove west on Route 66 all the way into Azusa, Chani said. She obeyed the speed limit, stop signs and red lights. Patron Janette Brown-Ortega was eating on the patio at Mr. D’s, 919 Foothill Blvd., in La Verne and witnessed the pursuit.
“We heard several sirens before the car stopped in the intersection with multiple officers from Pomona, Claremont, and La Verne trailing. Officers exited their vehicles and drew their weapons in an attempt to have the suspect come out of the car," Brown-Ortega said. “They stopped for about two minutes, before driver sped away again.” Officers used several spike strips as Starkey drove through Glendora, Chani said. Starkey even dragged a spike strip behind the Dodge Nitro she drove as she continued west at a snails-pace 10 miles per hour, according to police radio traffic. After officers made two attempts at disabling the vehicle with the Pursuit Intervention Technique in Azusa, Starkey allegedly struck an Upland officer’s vehicle, Chani said. The officer was uninjured after his patrol car was hit. Starkey parked the Dodge Nitro at In N Out, 988 E. Alosta Ave she will be facing charges of assault on a peace officer, assault with a deadly weapon, drug possession, driving under the influence of drugs and evading police, Chani said. Email Newsletter! | Advertise! | Donate! Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - An Azusa Police motor officer was uninjured after a driver attempted to crash into him on the 210 freeway in Glendora Friday morning. The suspects were arrested at the end of a pursuit initiated by an on-duty West Covina Police officer who witnessed the incident and the officer allegedly targeted by the driver and his passengers, according to the Azusa Police Department. The driver, 27-year-old Alberto Gracida, swerved into the path of the Azusa motor officer on the west 210 freeway near Sunflower Avenue around 5:30 a.m. The officer initially believed the action to be accidental, but the suspects began throwing objects at the officer, Azusa Police said. The motor officer maintained control of his motorcycle, was able to notify his dispatchers and attempted to stop the driver who refused to comply.
The pursuit exited at Azusa Avenue and continued on surface streets until the driver crashed through a residential yard and hit a wall. The driver briefly fled on foot before being arrested, Azusa Police said. The two occupants, Sonya Luevao and Justine Torres, both 28, were arrested at the crash scene, Azusa Police said. The crash occurred at East 3rd Street and North Dominguez Place around 6:06 a.m., according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. All three suspects were booked on suspicion of attempted homicide of a police officer, Azusa Police said. Gracida is being held in lieu of $1 million bail. County booking information was not readily available for the three suspects. Email Newsletter! | Advertise! | Donate! Three Azusa Pursuit Suspects Released from Custody, Pending Further Investigation, Police Say5/28/2019 Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - Two teenagers and an adult were detained at the end of a pursuit Tuesday morning, but due to undisclosed reasons, the suspects were not booked on charges and were released, an Azusa Police sergeant said. Some details remain hidden from the public due to the ongoing investigation, but officers decided to release all three suspects, according to Sgt. Seth Chapman of the Azusa Police Department. At 12:01 a.m. May 28, officers attempted to stop the driver of a car for a traffic violation at 3rd Street and Azusa Avenue, but the driver refused to stop, eventually leading officers to a dead end in the 500 block of East Duell Street where the suspects surrendered, Chapman said.
During the pursuit, a handgun was tossed from the car, Chapman said. A 21-year-old man, a 13-year-old and 16-year-old were all detained. Officers learned the vehicle was stolen from Baldwin Park. Chapman declined to comment on a possible connection the suspects had to a call of gunfire in unincorporated Azusa minutes before the chase began. Los Angeles County Sheriff’s deputies were called to a report of gunfire near North Clydebank Avenue and East Arrow Highway. A blue sedan fled the area after the gunfire was heard and a man in a hoodie was also seen running away. A victim was not located. Email Newsletter! | Advertise! | Donate! Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - San Dimas deputies are searching for a pursuit suspect hiding in an unincorporated neighborhood near Azusa.
The chase of a grand theft auto suspect reportedly originated in the Ontario area, according to Los Angeles County Sheriff’s radio traffic. Deputies are concentrating their search in the 18200 block of East Payson Street. Firefighters have sent multiple units to a person up in a tree at 18202 E. Payson where the search is concentrated, according to the Los Angeles County Fire Department. The driver and at least two passengers were being sought by law enforcement in a high-speed chase which entered the San Gabriel Valley some time before 3:30 p.m. The pursuit exited the west 210 freeway onto Azusa Avenue in Azusa. The California Highway Patrol and Azusa Officers backed away from the pursuit due to unsafe speeds. The driver fled officers at high speed on surface streets and could be seen cutting off other drivers. Unknown property was being thrown out the vehicle windows. One passenger fled the vehicle and ran into a home in the unincorporated neighborhoods near Azusa. The suspect continued to drive around erratically until a right front tire began to fall off. The suspect casually parked the vehicle and ran through residential areas until he took refuge under a large tree. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - There were unspecified injuries sustained after a driver wanted for a vehicle code violation crashed into another occupied vehicle during a chase Saturday. The crash occurred at North Lark Ellen Avenue and East Arrow Highway around 1:56 a.m. April 13. The suspect crashed into an occupied vehicle. He fled, leaving his two passengers behind, according to Sgt. Nick Covarrubias of the Azusa Police Department. Officers attempted to stop the driver at Baseline Road and Citrus Avenue around 1:50 a.m., but the driver took off.
The chase kept to surface streets until the suspect crashed. He fled into the nearby Little Dalton Wash flood control channel. The two passengers exited the crashed suspect vehicle, but were immediately detained The suspect was eventually caught, Covarrubias said. All three suspects and the driver in the other vehicle were hospitalized for their injuries, but the degree of the injuries was not available. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - A burglary suspect is still hospitalized after crashing during a pursuit and his two accomplices are still outstanding, a police sergeant said. The collision occurred at North San Gabriel Avenue at West Ninth Street around 9:25 p.m. January 28. The three suspects were sought after apparently burglarizing a home, according to Sgt. Jorge Sandoval of the Azusa Police Department. Police responded to the Rosedale community and the 1300 block of Macneil Drive around 9:13 p.m. on a report of suspicious circumstances. Arriving officers saw two people fleeing the rear yard of a home, Sandoval said.
A vehicle fled the area at high speed as additional officers arrived and a pursuit was initiated, Sandoval said. The suspect crashed into an occupied vehicle, injuring the other vehicle’s occupants. The suspect driver, a 23-year-old Los Angeles man, was detained by Azusa Police and later transported to a hospital for his injuries. The driver, Zuberi Tajamal Williams, was booked on suspicion of evading police, residential burglary and felony hit and run. Williams was booked in the field and later hospitalized for non-life-threatening injuries, Azusa Police said in a written statement. Firefighters arrived on scene at 9:29 p.m. and extricated one person from the crash. The two other people injured in the crash were also hospitalized, according to a representative with the Los Angeles County Fire Department. Williams was released Tuesday morning at 2:45 a.m. after being officially booked at 2:42 a.m., according to Los Angeles County booking records. After being booked, Williams was hospitalized. Williams is under Post Release Community Supervision. A search for the two suspects at the Macneil address were not located after a search, Sandoval said. Court appearance information for Williams was not yet available. Written by AARON CASTREJON CityWatch Editor AZUSA - Two documented gang bangers were arrested Wednesday after a lengthy pursuit ended with a crash in Rancho Cucamonga Wednesday. Dennis Robert Ayon, 38, and Rudy Raymond Abasta, 18, were booked on suspicion of felony evading, felony possession of a handgun, transportation of a controlled substance, possession of a controlled substance and possession of a controlled substance while armed, Azusa Police said. The suspects fled officers who attempted a traffic stop for a traffic violation at sixth Street and Angeleno Avenue just before 5 p.m. January 15. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor AZUSA - Three people were taken into custody at the end of a pursuit that spanned several San Gabriel Valley cities Friday.
Two of the suspects are documented Azusa gang members. Two small children were rescued from the suspect sedan at the end of the chase. A weapon was recovered from the scene of where officers attempted to initiate a traffic stop in the 600 block of North Alameda Avenue, Azusa Police said. The driver of the sedan, 21-year-old Jose Magdaleno of Glendora, refused to stop for police after they tried to pull over two suspicious vehicles around 10:36 p.m. Azusa Police began pursuing one vehicle when a passenger, 26-year-old Manuel Jimenez of Azusa, jumped out and ran on foot. He was quickly caught and a firearm was recovered, Azusa Police said. Officers continued pursuing the sedan through Azusa and onto the 210 and 605 freeways. From there, the pursuit entered the west 60 freeway and continued on surface streets in South El Monte. The pursuit found its way back to the 210 freeway where it sped eastbound and exited south on Irwindale Avenue. The chase moved east on Arrow Highway in Irwindale, through Azusa and north on Citrus Avenue before turning west onto Gladstone Street. The driver found his way back to Azusa where the driver’s companion, 43-year-old Lupita Torres of Glendora, drove recklessly around pursuing officers to interfere with the pursuit, Azusa Police said. Both Magdaleno and Torres were arrested at the pursuit termination at Ninth Street and Alameda Avenue. The children were recovered after Magdaleno, the only other occupant of the sedan was taken into custody. Magdaleno was wanted on a federal arrest warrant. He was also booked on felony evading and was additionally charged with child endangerment. He is being held in lieu of $100,000 bail. Jimenez was booked on suspicion of evading police and a weapons-related charge connected to the recovered firearm. His bail is set at $35,000. Torres was booked on suspicion of obstructing/delaying peace officers and will later be released on a citation, Azusa Police said. Written by AARON CASTREJON | CityWatch Editor AZUSA - Officers arrested a man who fled police on foot after crashing his off-road motorcycle after passersby witnessed him joyriding on a nearby bike path.
Ryan James Zorbas, 32, was taken into custody after trying to ditch Azusa officers in a foot chase after crashing into a security gate and fleeing into a nearby gated mountain community July 21, Azusa Police said. Police searched the San Gabriel River Bike Path around 9 a.m. new the numerous gated communities in the northern end of town. Officer could not locate the suspect on the bike path, but discovered him resting near one of the condominium projects on Highway 39, according to the Azusa Police Department in a written statement. The suspect fled on his motor bike south, fleeing through bushes along the bike path and out of sight, Azusa Police said. Walkers along the bike path pointed officers in the direction the suspect fled, who was found hiding behind a wall nearby. “The suspect was waiting for the officer to approach from a different direction, not knowing the officer was slowly approaching behind him,“ Azusa Police said. The suspect saw the approaching officer and fled again on the motorbike, taking a sidewalk south and cut off the officer eastbound into the Crystal Cove gated community where he crashed into a gate and fled on foot. The suspect dropped a knife and backpack and fled into Crystal Cove, Azusa Police said. Officers finally took the suspect into custody after he ducked out from hiding behind several condos and attempted to flee across Ranch Road. Zorbas was hospitalized for the injuries sustained in the gate crash. Zorbas is expected to appear in West Covina Superior Court. A date was not available through Los Angeles County booking. |
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